World Bank Vice President Visits HIV/AIDS Prevention Project Center

Dhaka, July 21, 2005: World Bank Vice President Praful Patel, who arrived in Dhaka today,  visited a Drop-In Center for Injecting Drug Users (IDUs), run by CARE Bangladesh under the HIV/AIDS Prevention Project (HAPP), supported by the World Bank, DFID of UK, and the Government of Bangladesh.

 

As the HIV epidemic in Bangladesh is evolving rapidly, the window of opportunity is narrowing fast with its prevalence among injecting drug users increasing. Prevalence of HIV/AIDS among risk groups, such as commercial sex workers, is less than 1 percent, but it is 4 percent among IDUs. Out of an estimated 20,000 IDUs in Bangladesh, 5,000 reside in Dhaka, and most are street based.

 

At the Center, Mr. Patel met several drug users and saw the facilities and services being provided there. This includes counseling, health education and care, sexually transmitted disease (STD) management, pre-detoxification assessment, and abscess management. The IDUs were eager to be provided with drug treatment, and the visiting Vice President assured them that the Bank would be working with the Government to strengthen interventions targeted at high risk groups, including IDUs.

 

The level of infection among IDUs poses a significant risk as the infection can spread rapidly within the group, then through their sexual partners and their clients into the general population. Also, a significant number of IDUs in the country sell their blood professionally. As such, it will be extremely important to keep the infection under control among the IDUs by expanding the support services available to them.